The use of identity cards is widespread in completing credit transactions, for use in instant money banking, security entrance controls, etc. Such cards are issued to authorized persons and it is desirable to provide means at the point of use of the card to check on the identity of the individual presenting the card, for example for payment of a bill, before completing such transaction.
To date the most effective way known to insure the identity of an individual is to record a fingerprint or, preferably the prints of several of that person's fingers for comparison with the supposedly corresponding prints of the fingers of the person using the card that are scanned at a later date. When the two sets of prints match, a proper identification is made of the person whose prints are being scanned.
Various systems for identifying the user of a card have been proposed for use for example with credit cards etc, the following being the best examples of such art known to the inventor at the time of the filing of this application.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. Nos. ______________________________________ 3,383,657 to Claasen et al March 14, 1968 3,532,426 to Lemmond October 6, 1970 3,584,958 to Miller June 15, 1971 3,781,113 to Thomas December 25, 1973 4,048,618 to Hendry September 13, 1977 4,202,120 to Engle May 13, 1980 4,253,086 to Szwarcbier February 24, 1981 4,414,684 to Blonder November 8, 1983 ______________________________________